With a DxOMark Overall Score of 81, the Canon EOS 5D Mark III achieves the best Overall Score of all Canon’s full-frame sensors, one point ahead of the Canon 1Ds Mark III, which had been leading the brand’s camera ranking with a DxOMark Overall Score of 80, and two points ahead of its predecessor, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, at 79 points. The Canon EOS 5D Mark III comes 10th in the DxOMark Overall Score ranking.

DxOMark progress for Canon Full-Frame sensors since 2002

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III delivers very good performance in low-light (2,293 ISO), placing it in 5th position in the DxOMark Sports Score ranking. Canon had announced improved sensitivity for its 22.3 megapixel sensor thanks to a new gapless micro lens array, claimed to better capture the light. The performance meets expectations there with almost ½ Stop more than the 5D Mark II, and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III proves its mettle for shooting concerts, sports events, or in extreme low light conditions.

A dynamic range on a par with the 1Ds Mark III

The dynamic range of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III’s sensor is on a par with that of the 1Ds Mark III. With a score of 11.7 EV, the Canon EOS 5D Mark III comes 49th in the DxOMark Landscape Score ranking. This means that the manufacturer has made very little progress since the appearance of the 1Ds Mark III and the 1D Mark IV, the best-rated Canon cameras in this category.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III nearly ½ Stop better in low light conditions

This is the most significant improvement in the 5D Mark III (2,293 ISO) compared to its predecessor (1,815 ISO) – i.e. virtually ½ Stop. The DxO Mark Sports Score is the maximum ISO for which the three criteria (SNR ≥ 30 dB, DR ≥ 9 EV, CS ≥ 18 bits) are still met (for more details, see our Sensor scores section). With these three criteria met in your RAW images, you’re guaranteed final image quality amply sufficient for most of your prints.

Greater dynamic range – but only at high ISO

The dynamic range measurement shows improved performance behavior at high ISO, but is disappointing for the limited dynamic range at low ISO. No improvement was measured between the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and the 5D Mark II for the range ISO 100 to 800.

Further readings for the Canon 5D Mark III Review

To provide photographers with a broader perspective about mobiles, lenses and cameras, here are links to articles, reviews, and analyses of photographic equipment produced by DxOMark, renown websites, magazines or blogs.